Mine locomotive



Dec. 17, 1946. c, s o z 2,412,657

MINE LOCOMOTIVE Filed Jan. 21, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l FTIOAWEY MINELOCOMOTIVE Filed Jan. 21, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J/T vE/v TOR Q 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 17, 1946. c. E. STOLTZ MINE LOCOMOTIVE' Filed Jan.21, 1944 :IJIIIIII FIELD L Patented Dec. 17, 1946 MINE LOCOMOTIVECharles E; Stoltz, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman ManufacturingCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January'21, 1944, Serial No. 519,092

'axles, arranged to improve the riding qualities of the locomotive andthe ability of the locomotiveto travel along rough track.

Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as thefollowing specification proceeds and with referenceto the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

8 Claims. (Cl. 105-133) Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a minelocomotive constructed in accordance with my invention, with certainparts broken away and certain other parts shown in longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the locomotive shown in Figure1, with certain other parts broken away and shown in section than inFigure 1, in order to illustrate certain details of my invention notshown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view 01 the locomotive with certain parts broken awayand certain other parts shown in horizontal section;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along linell of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary transverse sectional view illustratingcertain details of the Journal mounting for the locomotive axles;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail longitudinal sectional view showingcertain details of the stabilizing means for the locomotive drivegearing; and

Figure 7 is a detail end view showing certain other details of thestabilizing means than are shown in Figure 6. k

In the drawings a locomotive I0 is shown as including a main frame llmounted on track wheels l2, l2 and axles i3, B. A motor I4 is providedto drive said axles and track wheels through suitable geared reductiondrives which may be worm and worm gear reduction drives (not shown). Oneof said geared reduction drives is enclosed in a housing is pivotallymounted on said rear axle and directly connected to the casing of saidmotor, and the other of said drives is enclosed in a housing l6pivotally mounted on said front axle.' A- pair of connected universaljoints 11, I1 are provided to connect said'geared reduction drivestogether, so said motor may drive all of the wheels of the locomotive(see Figures 2 and 3). Said geared reduction drives and the universalconnections therebetween may be of any well known form and 2 are notherein shown or described in detail since they are no part of my presentinvention.

The main frame I I consists of a pair of parallel spaced side plates 2|,2| connected at their iorward ends to an end bumper 22, forming acompartment for the operator, and connected at their rear ends toan endbumper 23. having the rear end of the motor l4 supported thereon.

The motor I is provided with a semi-spherical boss 25 extendingrearwardly from the rear end of its motor casing, which is journaled ina semispherical bearing 2B, mounted on a plate 21 and projectingupwardly therefrom. Said plate is suitably mounted on the bottom plateor the end bumper 23. Said motor is thus supported on said bumper at itsrear end, for universal pivotal movement with respect thereto about thesemispherical' bearing 26, to permit flexibility of movement oi! therear track wheels l2, l2 during operation of the locomotive. The forwardend 01' said motor is suitably secured to the rear end of the rearhousing 15, enclosing the'worm and worm gear drive for the rear trackwheels l2, l2.

A stabilizing connection is provided between the housings l5 and I, topermit flexible movement or said housings with respect to each other,

- rear end plate of said front housing l8 towardsdirection;

but to yieldably limit the tendency of said housings to turn about thelocomotive axles during operation of the locomotive, and thus to relievethe universal couplings irom'undue strains. Said connection, as hereinshown, includes a pair of parallel spaced arms 29, 29 extending from thethe housing 15 and connected together at their free ends by means of across connecting member .28. Said cross connecting member has a verticalresilient bushing 30 mounted in its center. Said bushing may be madefrom a resilient material such as'rubber; and has a metal sleeve 3|mounted in its center, so as to yieldably move with respect to saidcross connecting member in an axial A bracket 32 is secured to andextends from opposite sides 0! the forward end plate of the rear gearhousing is towards the cross connecting member 28. Said bracketterminates in vertical alignment with said crossconnecting member. A

. plate 33 having a lug 34 depending from its center is secured to theunderside of the central portion of said bracket 32, just above thecenter of the sleeve 3|. Said lug is adapted to extend loosely withinthe upper end 01' said sleeve 3|. A plate 35 is spaced beneath the plate33 and has a lug 8" extending upwardly therefrom. Said lug is adapted toextend loosely within .the lower end 3 of the sleeve 3|. Said plate 85is spaced vertically from the end of said bracket 32 by means of spacersleeves 36, 36, and is connected thereto by means of nuts and bolts 360,380 extending through said plates and sleeves. The longitudinal centerof .the resilient bushing 30,11 extended, would intersect the extendedlongitudinal axis of the shaft of the motor I4, while the horizontaltransverse center of said resilient bushing is herein shown as beingintersected by a plane extending through the longitudinal axes of thelocomotive axles, to cause universal pivotal movement of the arms 29,29, with respect to the bracket 32, to be in the longitudinal center ofthe machine in the plane of the locomotive axles.

Referring now in particular to the equalizing support for the locomotiveframe I I on the track wheels l2, l2 and axles i3, |3, said axles arejournaled in a pair of parallel spaced equalizing bars 31, 31, onspherical roller bearings 38, 38. said equalizing bars are herein shownas being disposed just inside of the track wheels. Said spherical rollerbearings are mounted in bearing bosses 39, 39 spaced inwardly from the.ends of said equalizing bars, and are of a well known form andconstruction, arranged to permit pivotal movement of said axles withrespect to said equalizing of a well known form of shoe type brakingmechanism commonly used'on locomotives of the class described, andincludes a brake shoe 53 engageable with each track wheel l2. Said brakeshoes are herein shown as being mounted on brackets 54, 54, secured toand projecting upwardly from the equalizing bars 31, 31 (see Figure 4).The support for each brake shoe includes a pivotal pin 55, projectingoutwardly from said bracket andhaving a link 56 pivoted thereon anddepending therefrom, which link has a brake shoe 53 pivoted to its lowerend. The mechanism for operating said brakes may be of any well knownform, but is not herein shown or described since it is no part of mypresent invention. The mounting for said brake shoes just describedinsures that said shoes will always be in the proper position withrespect to the track wheels, for brakbars about axes extendingtransversely of said and outer sides of-said side plates and extendalong and below the lower margins of said openings, to form guides for apair of laterally spaced guide members 43, 63 (see Figures 1 and 4).Said guide members, as herein shown, extend along opposite sides of theequalizing bar 31 and are pivotally connected thereto by means of abear- 7 ing 46 and pivotal pin 35, and form a vertically movable guidemember for said equalizing bar along angles M, ii. Said guide means alsoprovides a means for transmitting power from the track wheels to thecentral portion of the locomotive frame, to overcome the tendency ofsaid frame to tilt upwardly or downwardly during starting or stopping ofthe locomotive. Compression springs 38, at are interposed between theupper sides of said guide members and the undersides of horizontal legsof angles 51, 51, secured to the inner and outer sides of each sideplate 2| and forming seats for the upper ends of said compressionsprings. Said springs thus yieldably support said frame on the centralpart of said equalizing bars, and limit vertical downward movement ofsaid frame with respect to said bars.

The ends of the equalizing bars 31, 31 extend forwardly and rearwardlyof the forward and rear track axles respectively, and have spring seatsl9, 9 formed thereon, for the lower ends of the springs 50, 50, theupper ends of which springs are seated in seats 5|, 5|, formed adjacentopposite ends of an open portion 52 of the side plate 2|. Theconstruction Just described forms a spring support for the locomotiveframe on the equalizing bars 31, 31, which is longerthan the wheelbaseof the locomotive, and permits the entire frame to move vertically withrespect to said equalizing bars, thus improving the riding qualities ofthe locomotive and maintaining the'loco- .motive wheels in engagementwith the railson all track conditions.

The braking mechanism for the locomot ve is other and to the locomotiveframe.

ing the locomotive regardless of the positions of the wheels of thelocomotive with respect to each Moreover, since the braking thrusts aretaken on the equalizing bars rather than the locomotive frame, and sincepower is transmitted to the locomotive frame by the equalizing bars, atthe central part of the locomotive frame, the tendency for said brakesto tilt the locomotive frame during the braking operation, is reduced toa minimum.

It may be seen from the foregoing that when the locomotive is travelingalc ag a rough track and one track wheel rides over rise in the track,that the tendency will be for the equalizing bars to depress the othertrack wheels and hold all of the track wheels in engagement with thetrack. It may further be seen that the spring suspension of the frame ofthe locomotive wheels is longer than the wheelbase of the locomotive andthat the equalizing bars 31, 31 are guided in the guides formed by thespaced angles 4|, 4|, to guide the entire locomotive frame for verticalmovement with respect to said equalizing bars, said movement beinglimited by the springs 46. 36, thus providing a stabilized and moreflexible mounting for said locomotive frame on said equalizing bars thanformerly, and enabling said equalizing bars to more efficiently performtheir function of hOlding thelocomotive wheels to the rails, whileimproving the riding qualities of the locomotive, and that power istransmitted from the equalizing bars to the locomotive frame, at thecentral part thereof, thus further improving the riding properties ofthe locomotive and reducing the tendency of said frame to tilt duringstarting or stopping of the locomotive to a minimum.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my inventionmay be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof andthe arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to beconstrued as limiting my invention to the speciflc embodimentillustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A locomotive having a main frame including two parallel spacedlongitudinally extending side frame members, two longitudinally spacedaxles having track wheels thereon, power means for driving said trackwheels, and spring means for supporting said main frame on said axlesincluding a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending equalizingbars having said axles journaled thereon, each of said side framemembers having a vertically extending guide intermediate ed in each ofsaid guides, intermediate its ends.

for vertical siidable movement therealong, said guides forming a meansfor transmitting power from said track wheels to opposite sides ofsaidmain frame, intermediate the ends thereof, and spring meanssupporting said frame on said bars, including spring means limitingdownward movement of said frame with respect to said bars along saidguides, and other spring means interposed between opposite ends of saidbars and said frame.

2. A locomotive having a main frame including two parallel spacedlongitudinally extending side frame members, two longitudinally spacedaxles having track wheels'thereon, a motor for driving said wheels, andspring means for supporting said main frame on said axles including apair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending equalizing bars havingsaid axles journaled thereon, each of said side frame members having avertically extending guide intermediate said axles, one of saidequalizing bars being guided in each of said guides, intermediate itsends, for vertical slidable movement therealong, said guides forming ameans for transmitting power from said main frame to said wheels,intermediate the ends of said frame, spring means supporting said frameon said bars, including-spring means limiting downward movement of saidframe with respect to said bars along said guides, and other springmeans interposed between opposite ends of said bars and said frame,braking means for said locomotive including a brake shoe engageable witheach of said wheels, a link for supporting each of said brake shoes,said links being pivotally mounted on said equalizing bars, so saidbrake shoes will be in the proper relation with respect to theirassociated wheels in all positions of said wheels and equalizing barswith respect to said frame and the braking thrusts will be taken on saidequalizing bars instead of the locomotive frame.

3. A locomotive having a main frame including two parallel spacedlongitudinally extending side frame members, two longitudinally spacedaxles having track wheels thereon, a motor disposed adjacent one end ofsaid frame and extending longitudinally thereof between said side framemembers, for driving said track wheels, gear housings pivotally mountedon each of said axles, a fixed connection between the forward end of thecasing of said motor and one of said gear housings, a universal couplingconnecting the gears of said gear housings together, a stabilizingconnection between said gear housings, means for supporting said mainframe on said axles including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinallyextending equalizing bars having said axles journaled thereon, each ofsaid side frame members having a vertically extending guide intermediatesaid axles, forming guides for said equalizing bars and a means fortransmitting power from said wheels and equalizing bars to said mainframe, spring means limiting downward movement of said frame withrespect to said bars along said guides, spring means interposed betweenopposite ends of said bars and said frame, and a universal pivotalconnection between the rear end of said motor and said frame.

4. A locomotive having a main frame including two parallel spacedlongitudinally extending side frame members, two longitudinally spacedaxles having track wheels thereon, a motor disposed adjacent one end ofsaid frame and extending longitudinally thereof, between said side.frame members, for driving said track wheels, gear housings pivotailymounted on each of said axles, a fixed connection between the forwardend of said motor and one of said gear housings, a universal couplingconnecting the gears of said gear housings together, a stabilizingconnection between said gear housings, a universal pivotal connectionbetween the rear end of said motor andsaid frame, means for supportingsaid main frame onsaid axles including a pairof lateralLv spacedlongitudinally extending equalizing bars, each of said side framemembers having a vertically extending guide disposed intermediate saidaxles, means for mounting said equalizing bars in said guides formovement therealong and for pivotal movement with respect thereto abouttransverse axes. spring means limiting downward movement of said framewith respect to said bars, spring means interposed-between opposite endsof said bars and. said frame, and bearings for rotatabiy mounting saidaxles'on said equalizing bars, said bearings being arranged to permitsaid axles to move about axes intersecting the longitudinal axes of saidbars.

5. A locomotive having a, main frame including two parallel spacedlongitudinally extending side-frame members, two longitudinally spacedaxles having track wheels thereon, a motor disposed adjacent one end ofsaid frame and extending longitudinally thereof, between said side framemembers, for driving said track wheels, a universal pivotal connectionbetween the rear end of said motor and said main frame, gear.

housings pivotally mounted on each of said axles,

a fixed connection between the forward end of 7 said motor and one ofsaid gear housings, a, universal coupling connecting the gears of saidgear housings together, andja stabilizing connection from one of saidgear housings to the other, to yieldably limit the tendency of said gearhousings to turn about the locomotive axles during operation of thelocomotive, including an arm extending from one housing towards theother, and .a universally yieldable connection between the end of saidarm and said other housing.

6. A locomotive having a main frame including two parallel spacedlongitudinally extending side frame members, two longitudinally spacedaxles having track wheels thereon, a motor disposed adjacent one end ofsaid frame and extending longitudinally thereof, between said side framemembers, for driving said track wheels, a universal pivotal connectionbetween the rear end of said motor and said main frame, gear housingspivotally mounted on each of said axles, a fixed connection between theforward end of said motor and one of said gear housings, a, universalcoupling connecting the gears of said gear housings together, and astabilizing connection from one of said gear housings to the other, toyiel;ably limit the tendency of said gear housings to turn about thelocomotive axles during operation of the locomotive, includin an armextending from one housing towards theother, and

I a universally yieldable connection between said am and said otherhousing disposed in the plane of the longitudinal axes of said axles.

7. A locomotive having a main frame includtorque loads which wouldotherwise be transmitted to the universal connection between the rearend of said motor and said main frame, including a bracket extendinglongitudinally inwardly and downwardly from an upper portion of one ofsaid housings and intersected by a plane extending through the centersof said axles, an arm extending from the upper portion of said otherhousing towards said bracket in a downwardly inclined direction, and ayieldable connection between said arm and said bracket intersected by aplane extending substantially through the centers of said axles,permitting yieldable universal pivotal movement between said armand saidhousing, and tending to turn one housing in a direction opposite towhich said other housing tends to turn to reduce the torque loads on theuniversal support for said motor on sai v adjacent one end of said frameand extendin longitudinally thereof between said side frame members fordriving said track wheels, a universal pivotal connection between therear endof said motor and said main frame, gear housings pivotallymounted on each of said axles, a fixed connection between the forwardend of said motor and one of said gear housings, a universal couplingconnecting the gears of said gear housings together, and a stabilizingconnection from one of said gear housings to the other, to yieldablylimit the tendency of said gear housings to tum about the locomotiveaxles during operation of the locomotive, including a relatively longsingle arm extending from the housing spaced farthest from said motortowards the housing fixedly connected to said motor, and a universallyyieldable connection between the end of said arm and said housingflxedlyconnected to said motor adjacent the latter housing.

CHARLES E STOLTZ.

